Travel Guides

Surfing in Oahu

Synonymous with surf, sand and sun, Hawaii is a place where
South African and Australian surf legends Shaun Tomson, Mark
Richards and Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew pioneered the surfing
scene, turning it into the professional sport it is today. Hawaii's
surfing beaches are internationally famous, as immortalised in the
surfing documentary Riding Giants.

The most famous surfing beach in Hawaii is Oahu's North Shore,
featuring the classic point break of Waimea Bay as well as the
likes of Waikiki, Off the Wall, Backdoor Pipe, Sunset Beach (known
for its big wave surfing) and the notorious Pipeline, a reef break
located off Ehukai Beach Park ideal for eager spectators,
bikini-clad girlfriends and surf photographers due to its close
proximity to the beach.

Oahu's North Shore works best during the winter months when
large waves are created by winter storms in the North Pacific, a
stark contrast to the clear, calm water during the summer months.
Other key spots for surfing in Hawaii include a great point break
at Magic Sands Point on Big Island, the reef break of Pine Trees in
Kauai, and Maui's Honolua Bay.

Beginners are also catered for with small and easy rollers at
places like Waikiki Beach, Chuns Reef, Cockroach Bay and Puena
Point, and there are plenty of surf schools and experienced
instructors available. The south coast of Kauai is also an
excellent surfing spot for beginners, with reliable waves at Poipu
and Kalapaki Beach.